It has been a week of passionate tributes and intense counter-tributes following the sudden exit of Abba Kyari, 67, who was President Muhammadu Buhari’s powerful and influential Chief of Staff for five years until he died of COVID-19 on April 17.
In a statement, President Buhari said: “Mallam Abba Kyari was the very best of us. He was made of the stuff that makes Nigeria great.”
There were contrary reactions to Kyari’s death. Perhaps the most striking were remarks by former Kano State commissioner for works and infrastructure Mu’azu Magaji, who was sacked for his “unguarded utterances” against Kyari.
Kano’s commissioner for information Muhammad Garba justified Magaji’s removal from office: “The action of a public servant, personal or otherwise reflects back on the government and therefore, the Ganduje administration would not tolerate people in official capacities engaging in personal vendetta or otherwise.” According to him, Kyari “led a life worthy of emulation by serving his country to the best of his ability.”
A report said Magaji “had taken to his Facebook page to celebrate Kyari’s demise, describing it as freedom for Nigeria.” “Writing in English and Hausa,” The PUNCH reported, “Magaji stated, “Win win… Nigeria is free and Abba Kyari ya mutu a cikin annoba… Mutuwar shahada in Har da Imani mutum ya cika.”
“The translation of the post reads, “Win win… Nigeria is free and Abba Kyari has died in the epidemic… the death of a martyr… if he is a believer, the person is complete.”
The report continued: “In a subsequent post, the commissioner said the office of the chief of staff to the President is too powerful and it should be broken into two.
“Magaji wrote, “For the good of Nigeria and Mr President… The CoS office should be split… A PPS (principal private secretary) and a humble manager of his office as CoS… It is currently too powerful for a non-elected official.”
The report also said: “Reacting to comments that his post elicited, the commissioner said it was nothing personal. He said Kyari was only a support staffer at the Presidential Villa and his death should be treated as such.
“Magaji wrote, “Nigeria is bigger than any individual… While praying for the president’s late support staff… Ours is to prevent a repeat of his non-accountable domineering era!
“In institutional democracy, no individual is bigger than the state… Our interest is to get equity and capacity in the highest position of power. It’s not personal!
“I am not a hypocrite and I won’t pretend! While at a personal level I pray Allah to grant Abba Kyari Jannah… I sincerely believe Nigeria needed a better CoS period!”
According to another report, “Magaji, on his Facebook page had written, “It’s very, very important we put things in perspective so that we can save our system from punitive unconstitutional usurpers in the future!
“Democracy & democratic equity does not by itself strive… It must be guarded and protected… One person, just one person can set a dangerous precedence!
“When you are all done with the pretence and crocodile tears, we will do a review in overriding interest of the Nation and its people!
“I am perfectly aware of the storm I am in… The fact however is I know what comes from the heart or that what is purchased! You all will come around.”
Magaji had sounded like a man who knew what he was talking about, and would be ready to defend the things he had said. But when the consequences came, he changed his tune, saying his Facebook posts had been misinterpreted.
”In an emotional reaction to my posting,” Magaji said, “agents around the office of the chief of staff misunderstood my whole meaning, infuriated from the loss of their benefactor, as such petitioned my principal His Excellency Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, the Governor of Kano State, they twisted the narrative with explanation completely out of context and lacing it with religious and cultural connotations that made it necessary for our Principal the Executive Governor to show leadership and solidarity with the dead by relieving me off my position in Kano State as his Commissioner of Works and Infrastructure.”
He explained that “The use of “win win phrase” is basically an attempt to explain the Islamic Promise on the people that died as a result of any kind of pandemic. The late Mallam Abba Kyari was privileged to die as a result of Covid-19, making him among the beneficiaries in Islam. He is conferred with the automatic privilege of martyrdom…By this, the death of Mallam Abba Kyari is a big win for him, which is almost the dream of every Muslim.”
What he said next in the statement gave him away as someone talking out of both sides of his mouth: “On the other hand, Nigeria equally have the opportunity to restructure the office of the Chief of staff, where I called Mr President to ensure that we can utilize the pandemic challenges into more strengths, by disintegrating the power of the office for a rapid administrative flow, which over and above anything, our constitutional democracy is meant to achieve and function so often.”
Magaji’s explanation suggests that he had a rethink, and chose to be politically correct. His effort to explain what he meant was simply damage control. “I am so sorry for any pain I may have caused both the families of the late chief of staff and my boss His Excellency Abdullahi Umar Ganduje. I am forever loyal to my boss; the Governor of Kano State and indebted to all the people of Kano state,” he said.
This drama has shown how freedom of thought and freedom of expression are controlled in the political environment. Magaji’s punishment for his observations on Kyari and the office of the president’s chief of staff does not mean they are untrue. He is a casualty of Kyari’s death who has exposed the Governor Umar Ganduje administration’s game of political correctness.
Paradoxically, perhaps the ultimate tribute to Kyari is that his death is an opportunity for the country to redefine the position of chief of staff to the president.